Frozen Reflection
by WillowSakura
Summary: Since figuring out who he is, Bucky has tried the best he can to live a (somewhat) normal life with Steve and Natasha. But his existence is now consumed with taking down Hydra. When the trio is attacked by a masked assassin one night, with several shocking resemblances to Bucky, the poor tortured man becomes even more consumed with preventing history from repeating itself.
1. Chapter 1

"Bucky! We gotta go!" Steve shouted over the barrage of gunfire.

"No! I want them all dead!" The shaggy brown-haired soldier yelled back. A bullet just grazed over his kevlar vest. "I'm going to kill them all!" He grabbed a grenade and tossed it over the concrete barrier he was using for cover. A few seconds passed until it exploded, sending dirt and blood flying into the air.

"Bucky! We got what we needed! We have to get to the extraction point!" Steve rolled between cover and grabbed Bucky's shoulder.

"Steve! I want them _dead_/i!" Bucky insisted, firing his semi-automatic wildly over the barrier.

"There will be time for that later! It's too dangerous for just the two of us!" Steve insisted, using his shield to smack away a grenade. He tackled Bucky to the ground, holding him down until he heard the explosion. Clumps of dirt rained down on them, and Steve pulled Bucky to his feet. "We're leaving, _now_!" He grabbed a hold of Bucky's vest, and practically dragged him along as they ran towards the extraction point.

* * *

"What the hell, Bucky?!" Steve exclaimed once they were both in the helicarrier.

"What do you want from me, Steve?" Bucky hissed back, throwing his hands up in the air.

"We had what we needed! What were you doing?" The blond haired soldier took a few steps towards his friend. "You could have gotten yourself killed!" Steve ran his hands through his hair.

"You don't know, Steve!" Bucky exclaimed, pointing a finger at Steve. "You don't know what it was like! You don't know!" His voice was filled with anger and pain. "Those people? They need to pay! And I'm not gonna stop until every one of them are dead!" Bucky fumed, inches away from Steve's face. His blue eyes held an intense fire behind them. "Even if I have to do it myself." His voice was low and deadly.

"And you don't know what it was like, Bucky!" Steve vented back at him. "Seeing you fall from that train!" His hands closed into fists at his sides. "I wanted to fall with you! You were always there for me, and I couldn't be there when you needed me!" Steve took a deep breath as tears stung his eyes. "After my parents died, you were the only one to support me! You were the only one who didn't see me as that weak little Rogers boy..." His voice cracked, and Bucky took a staggering step backwards as if he had just been punched in the chest.

"Steve..." Bucky breathed out quietly.

"Everyone I knew back then is dead..." Steve sat down and hung his head. "And then you came back into my life, and everything just feels familiar again." He rested his head in his hands. "I don't want to feel so lost again. I don't want to lose my best friend again." Steve slowly brought his head up, and stared at Bucky. His mouth was hanging open, and he was just staring back at Steve.

"I'm..." Bucky struggled for the right words to say, but nothing came to mind. So he just said what he originally wanted to. "I'm sorry, Steve." He shook his head. "I'm still getting used to emotions." He let out a long, drawn out breath. "I'm still letting my feelings overwhelm me." Bucky sat down next to Steve.

"Buck, I just don't want you to be so reckless." Steve turned to face him. "I feel like I can't let you out of my sight for a second, cause you'll go and do something stupid before I get back." He laughed softly and smiled.

"Shut up, you little punk." Bucky couldn't help but laugh. "That's my line." The mood turned a bit lighthearted now that their frustrations were off their chests.

"Jerk." Steve playfully punched him in the arm. They smiled and Bucky shook his head.

* * *

"What's the status of Echo?" The tall dark haired man asked. His voice rough and commanding as he stood behind the chair of the scientist.

"Echo is in the final stages of preparation. Expect to be fully operational by tomorrow evening." The blonde woman replied, her eyes never leaving the computer monitor in front of her. "The data is exceptional. There hasn't been a test subject with this much promise and potential since - "

"I know." The dark haired man interrupted, a triumphant smile spreading across his lips. "Pierce had no idea what he was denying us. If only we still had the Asset. The two of them together would be unstoppable." He shook his head. "But Pierce was a fool, and he was power hungry. That blinded him and led to his death." He stepped forward, looking through the one-way mirror at the body strapped to the table.

"Sir?" The blonde scientist looked up from her computer. "One of our facilities was just attacked." The dark haired man snapped his head towards her.

"What was taken?" He asked, taking a few steps towards her. She turned her attention back to her computer.

"They don't know yet. But it was done by two SHIELD agents." She replied. The man crossed his arms and his expression darkened.

"Rush Echo. I want it at one hundred percent functionality before morning." He ordered. "We need to make our move before they get any closer."

"Understood, sir." The woman left the room, leaving the dark-haired man to turn his attention back to the body on the table. He watched as it slowly began to stir, showing signs of life. His new killing machine, which he had complete control over.


	2. Chapter 2

"So, I heard that you tried to be a lone wolf on the mission earlier." The redhead said with a smirk as she pressed the bottle to her lips and took a drink.

"Says the woman who, essentially, _is_ a lone wolf." Bucky shot back with a smile. "Old habits die hard. What can I say?" He shrugged, taking a drink of his beer.

"James Reckless Barnes!" Natasha threw her hands over her head and exclaimed with a laugh. Steve nearly choked on his beer when he laughed.

"Yeah, yeah." Bucky chuckled and rolled his eyes. "But you just have to understand where I was coming from." His tone turned serious. "You guys both know that Hydra is still a threat to us. The things they do to people..." He caught Natasha's gaze, and she looked down.

"Bucky, we all want to take down Hydra." Steve interjected. "But you can't just go in; guns blazing. You'll get yourself killed." Bucky sighed.

"I know. But it's just hard to not let my emotions get the best of me." He explained, taking another drink. "You weren't their P.O.W. for over seventy years." The words hung in the air, and the silence was uncomfortable.

The silence was broken when the bedroom door flew open. Muffled sounds pierced the air, like someone dropping a heavy book on a table. _One...two...three...four..._ Instinct took over, and Natasha ducked under the table, flipping the chair on its side to provide some sort of makeshift cover. Steve dove from his chair into the kitchen, taking cover behind a low wall. Bucky held his metal arm up to cover his face, then flipped the table over and took cover behind it with Natasha.

"Shit!" Natasha cursed, holding her hand over the bullet wound. Blood trailed down her arm. Bucky glanced at Steve, who had his shield ready. He grabbed a pistol that was secured to the under side of the table and quickly poked his head out and fired off three shots at the figure dressed in all black. Piercing green eyes were the only visible feature. Everything else was completely covered. The figure gracefully flipped out of the way, and ducked back into the darkness of the bedroom. Steve came out from behind the wall, his shield in front of him as he advanced.

"You OK, Natalia?" Bucky asked. The red head nodded and winced. Bucky readied the gun, and followed Steve as they headed towards the darkened bedroom. Before either of the two soldiers could register what was happening, the dark figured flew towards them. A flying kick sent Steve sailing into the far wall, leaving a large hole in his wake. Bucky suddenly found himself on his knees.

He used his metal arm to elbow his assailant, and it staggered backwards. Bucky spun around and held the gun up to the figure, only to be met with a knife slashing his chest through his shirt. Steve was up by this time, and he rushed at the figure to strike with his shield. Bucky threw a punch, and the figure ducked out of the way. Steve's head jerked to the side as Bucky's blow met his chin. The assassin dressed in black kicked Steve's legs out from under him, and he fell to the floor. Standing up, the figure turned its attention to Bucky.

Bucky swung with his metal arm, and the figure held up their arm to block the blow. There was a strange sound as their arms collided. It was unmistakable; metal on metal. Bucky grabbed his own knife, and managed to slice the assassin's sleeve open. Underneath, was a metal arm that looked exactly like Bucky's. In his momentary state of shock, he let his guard down. The metal armed assassin punched Bucky in the center of his chest, causing him to somersault backwards over himself.

Steve stood up, and landed a spinning roundhouse kick that forced the figure in black to its knees. But in a second, it regained its balance and flipped over Steve's shoulders. The blond soldier spun around to face the assassin, and was immediately punched in the jaw. A loud bang errupted in the chaos, and the black clothed figure stumbled back. Natasha landed a shot on its shoulder. Before Steve or Bucky could move in on the figure, it flipped backwards out of the window. Glass shattered and flew everywhere. Bucky followed and peered down at the darkened street below, but the assassin had disappeared. Natasha stood up, still holding her bleeding arm.

"What...the _hell_ was that?!" She exclaimed. Bucky and Steve looked at each other with confusion on their faces.

"_That_," Bucky turned towards Natasha, "is a new problem..."


	3. Chapter 3

"Сукин сын!" Natasha hissed in Russian as Steve held the burning hot blade of a kitchen knife to her wound to stop the bleeding.

"Sorry, Nat." Steve apologized, taking the blade off her wound after having held it there for a few seconds. She shook her head as if to say 'it's OK'.

"I don't think the bullet is still in there." She said, relief obvious in her voice.

"Bucky? What the hell was that? It was like fighting you all over again..." Steve asked, turning his attention to Bucky who was staring out the shattered window again. The apartment was a mess. There were bullet holes in the walls, and the table was still on its side. "Bucky!"

"I don't know!" Bucky exclaimed as he turned his attention to Steve and Natasha. "I don't know..." He shook his head and rubbed his temples. "Hydra is up to something, that's for sure." Natasha sighed and rolled her eyes.

"When _isn't_ Hydra up to something?" She asked sarcastically.

"They had a metal arm." Bucky replied, his tone deadpan. Steve and Natasha stared at him, their eyes wide. The entire room was silent for several moments.

"How is that possible?" Steve asked. Bucky shrugged and shook his head.

"Maybe I wasn't the only one they experimented on back then?" He suggested with uncertainty.

"No..." Natasha interjected. "No, if that were the case we would have found files. Records of it." She said as Steve wrapped her arm in a bandage. "It has to be something that happened recently." She winced slightly as Steve grazed her wound.

"Well, we have to figure out what's going on." Steve said when he finished tending to Natasha's wound. "Whoever that was..." He shook his head.

"Gave me a run for my money." Bucky admitted as he picked up the piece of fabric that he had managed to cut off the figure's clothing. Holding it in his hands, the texture was familiar. It was like the material Hydra had him wear. The assassin even wore the same facial mask that he used to. Those piercing green eyes outlined by the caked on black surrounding them... It was obvious. Hydra had created a new asset, imitating Bucky exactly in almost every way. Only it was somehow stronger than him. And Steve too.

"Bucky, what are we gonna do?" Natasha asked.

"Hydra has a new asset." He voiced his thoughts. "They've replaced me, but..." Bucky pursed his lips, "they've made it stronger, and I don't know how." He sighed and ran his hand through his hair. "As strong as Steve and I put together." He paused. "I...I don't know how that's possible."

"Natasha, you think you can figure out a way to hack into Hydra's database and figure out what we're dealing with?" Steve asked.

"It might take a little while. But I can do it." She replied.

"Do it now." Bucky said, staring at the two of them from across the room. Steve looked at him like he had three heads.

"Bucky! Give her time to rest!" He protested.

"No, Steve. He's right." Natasha cut in. "The sooner I can figure out what's going on, the better prepared we'll be for next time." She nodded and stood up from the table. She headed into the bedroom and came out with a laptop. The redhead sat on the couch and got to work.

* * *

The green-eyed assassin sat in the chair as one of the Hydra doctors worked on the bullet wound. Rumlow entered, standing in front of the assassin with his arms folded across his chest.

"What's the status of the targets, Echo?" He asked. Echo stared straight ahead.

"Alive." Immediately, Rumlow backhanded the green-eyed weapon. Echo's head jerked to the side, but no sound left its lips.

"Why?!" He hissed, taking a rough hold of Echo's chin. His dark brown eyes stared intensely at the assassin.

"I underestimated the targets. The redhead caught me off guard." Echo replied, devoid of any emotion. Rumlow brought his face close to Echo's. His breath lingering in the air between them.

"Don't let it happen again." He growled, pushing the assassin's face away.

"Understood, sir."

"They need to be taken care of." Rumlow turned his back on the green-eyed weapon. "You know what to do when you're done." He spoke to the doctor, who nodded in response. "We'll pull you out when it's time to strike again." Rumlow turned his attention back towards Echo.

"Understood, sir." Echo repeated, knowing full well that Rumlow was talking about, essentially, sticking the weapon in the freezer...

* * *

"I think I got something." Natasha said, staring at the laptop screen in front of her. "Project Echo? It's the only thing that raised a red flag when I looked." She clicked the mouse pad a few times and brought up several documents with the words "PROJECT ECHO" plastered on them in bold, capital letters. Bucky and Steve leaned over her from behind the couch.

"You were right, Buck." Steve said as his eyes darted around the screen. Bucky looked down and shook his head.

"I didn't want to be right..." He muttered darkly.

"Дерьмо..." Natasha breathed out in shock, covering her mouth. Bucky brought his head up, his attention on Natasha. "This is something that happened recently..."

"How recently?" Bucky asked, trying to find what Natasha was looking at.

"Less than a year." She replied. "There's not much information about what they're doing, though. They must have found a different way to cover their tracks after I leaked everything." The red head chewed on her index nail.

"Project Echo... Tests began..." Bucky's eyes widened. "A month after the Asset was lost..."

"Apparently they went through _thirty-five_ different subjects before they found a viable candidate." Natasha said. "And they gave the subject a metal arm. Which is just..." She shook her head and took a breath.

"How was someone able to survive that?" Steve asked.

"Well, look here." Natasha pointed to another little excerpt from the files. "The subjects were all given some sort of enhanced version of the serums you both were given. The name of the serum is blacked out, though." She frowned.

"What else does it say about Echo, specifically?" Bucky inquired. Natasha skimmed over the screen again.

"Not much. It doesn't even say the name of the subjects that were tested." She replied. "Which makes sense if you think about it. Everything is kept secret. Just like it was with you, James." Bucky turned away and looked out of the broken window again.

"We have to put a stop to this." He said quietly. "Hydra brainwashed me, tortured me, and used me. I don't want to sit by while this happens to another innocent person." Bucky turned back to face them. "This has to end."

* * *

Сукин сын! - Son of a bitch!

Дерьмо... - Shit...


	4. Chapter 4

It had been two days since Bucky, Steve, and Natasha were attacked by Echo. Natasha had done as much digging as she could but came up empty on all fronts. Her arm was healing nicely, but Bucky was having trouble sleeping.

He got up out of bed and headed into the dark living room. The window had been replaced, and all the glass was cleaned up. Bucky leaned his forehead against the cool glass panes, staring down at the dimly lit street below. Despite being so late - nearly two in the morning - groups of people happily walked down the sidewalks.

"Hey," a voice called out from behind him. Bucky turned around and saw Natasha standing in the dark kitchen. "Can't sleep either?" She asked. He shook his head. Shaggy brown locks of hair fell in front of his face and a sigh left his lips.

"I'm angry, Natalia." He said. "I'm angry at Hydra. I'm angry they're still around. I'm angry that so many lives were ruined by me when I was their puppet." Bucky clenched his hands into fists. "I'm angry that even after I left Hydra, they're still destroying people's lives..."

"James, you can't blame yourself for their actions." Natasha walked over to him and put a comforting hand on his shoulder. "That's all in the past, now." She leaned against the wall beside the window. Her red hair fell in front of her face, green eyes locked onto the taller man in front of her.

"I just..." Bucky sighed and rested his head against the wall. "Remember a lot of the terrible things I did." He admitted and paused before he spoke again. "For god's sake, I shot you! _Twice!_" He threw his hands up in frustration.

"James, stop it." Natasha demanded. She grabbed his wrist and held it firmly. "Look at me." She said, staring intently at him. Bucky hesitantly brought his eyes up to meet Natasha's. "I don't blame you for that." She said. "You were following orders. You had no say in what you did. You didn't know any better." Bucky looked down again and bit his lip. "Stop wallowing in this guilt, James!" She held her hands against his cheeks, cradling his face in her hands. "Please?"

"I'm sorry. I'm trying." Bucky replied. He brought his eyes back up to meet Natasha again. She was smiling slightly and her green eyes caught the moonlight streaming in through the window. "It's just not as easy as you're making it out to be." Natasha leaned against his chest and hugged him.

"Trust me. I know." She replied with a soft chuckle. Bucky smiled and hugged her back.

* * *

"It's time." The voice echoed in the small room. A male and a female scrambled out of their chairs and headed out of the room. The dark haired man turned and faced the doorway, his arms crossed over his chest as he stared straight ahead. Footsteps grew louder until the male and female appeared in the doorway supporting a third person between them.

The green-eyed assassin stared blankly ahead. Water dripped off its fingertips and from the ends of its strands of hair. The escorts let go of the assassin and stepped away. They knew better than to stand too close to such a volatile being. Water pooled on the floor beneath its naked form. Echo's flesh arm twitched slightly, but the cold didn't bother it.

"Time to go to work." Rumlow said coldly. "Get it dressed." He said to the male and female. "Then move out. The coordinates will be sent to your comm device."

"Understood, sir." Echo replied. Rumlow stared hard at the assassin, his lips pressed into a hard and thin line. He moved forward and wrapped his hand around Echo's throat.

"No mistakes this time." He growled lowly. Echo nodded, not phased by the hint of threat in his voice. Nor the hand around its throat. Echo was a weapon; nothing more. The assassin had accepted the role without a fight. Even if Echo had fought, the assassin didn't remember it. In fact, it didn't remember anything but this life. Did Echo have a life before this? Did that even matter anymore?

"Understood, sir." The assassin repeated. Rumlow smirked and stepped away. "All three targets will be neutralized."

"No." Rumlow corrected, causing Echo to look at him with a puzzled expression. "Bring the Asset back alive." He said, closing the gap between himself and the half dressed assassin. "I don't care what you do with the other two."

"Yes, sir." Echo replied as the male and female scientists fitted the kevlar vest around the weapon's upper body. The armor covered the assassin's flesh arm and left the metal one completely exposed.

"We need the Asset." Rumlow turned his back on Echo and rubbed his chin. The two scientists strapped gun holsters to Echo's thighs and placed a 9mm pistol in each of them. "We need the original specimen." He muttered. Echo felt a strange feeling stir inside its usually hollow and empty chest. "No copy can replace the original. The two of you together..." Rumlow continued rambling to himself, oblivious to the fact that Echo could hear every word. The assassin's metal hand closed into a fist, its green eyes fixed to the floor.

"Sir? It's ready." The male spoke up. Rumlow turned around, his dark and calculating eyes scanned his puppet. He had to make sure everything was in order before he sent the assassin out on the mission.

"Not quite yet." He replied as he moved to a small table next to a chair. His fingers curled around the black facial mask as he picked it up. Rumlow turned to face Echo, who was staring straight ahead. The dark haired man placed the mask over the assassin's face. It covered its mouth and nose, leaving only those piercing green eyes visible. "Finish up here. Then go." Rumlow said, never tearing his gaze away from those green eyes.

"Of course, sir." The female replied as Rumlow left the room. Echo stood still, internally fighting the strange feeling in its chest. What was this? What emotion was pooling in the hollow cavern of the assassin's chest? Why was it even there to begin with? The green-eyed assassin couldn't figure out what was happening.


	5. Chapter 5

Bucky and Natasha sat on the couch of the apartment. They had been talking for a little over an hour and it was almost four in the morning. If felt nice for Bucky to be able to talk so casually with someone. He couldn't remember the last time he was able to do that.

"There has to be someone, though." Natasha prodded with a sly smile. Bucky chuckled and shook his head.

"There's not, though." He replied. "I don't have time."

"You sound like Steve." She teased, poking Bucky gently in the side. "I know a girl. She's really cute. Has a lip piercing." The redhead winked.

"Jeez, Natalia." Bucky smiled and rolled his eyes playfully. "Why don't we figure out this whole 'Echo' thing, and then you can find me a date?" He asked.

"I'm multitasking." She replied, a mischievous smile on her lips. Bucky laughed softly and looked past her out the window.

"I don't know..." He shook his head as he gazed at the buildings he could see. "It's not like I can bond with someone over the Great Depression or anything." Bucky shrugged. Natasha sighed. "I'm sorry. I just - " He stopped when something caught his eye. Movement on the roof of the building across from them.

"What?" Natasha asked, noticing his gaze.

"Get down!" Bucky pushed the redhead down to the floor just as the window shattered. Natasha cried out as she hit the floor. Bucky held his metal hand in front of his face, blocking several shots. "You OK, Natalia?"

"I swear to god... If this guy hits me one more time, I'm gonna - "

"Just stay down! I'm going after him!" Bucky cut her off as Steve emerged from his bedroom, shield at the ready. Without any question, Steve tended to Natasha as Bucky bolted out of sight.

Echo smiled as it saw the Asset leave the redhead and blond behind in an effort to chase after it. The assassin dropped the rifle onto the ground and turned to face the only door that allowed access to the rooftop.

Bucky pushed himself to run faster than he ever had before. He was determined to catch this guy. It wasn't long before he reached the top of the stairs and kicked open the door to the roof. His eyes scanned his surroundings, but there was no one there. At least not that he could see.

Cautiously, Bucky walked towards a rifle he saw laying on the ground. It was eerily familiar and sent chills through him. He knelt down and slowly reached out to touch it. The metal was cold and the grooves perfectly fit the curves of his hand. He quickly retracted his hand as if the gun had scorched his skin.

Suddenly, Bucky found himself sprawled out on the ground. He was up on his feet rather quickly as adrenaline pumped through his veins. He spun around and was met with a powerful blow to the jaw. His head jerked to the side and he quickly held up his metal arm to block another punch. The assassin grunted as Bucky shoved him back. As Bucky reached for his knife, the assassin landed a spinning roundhouse kick square on his chest. Bucky flew backwards and collided with the ground.

"Вы приезжаете со мной." The assassin spoke lowly as it advanced on Bucky's prone form. As soon as the figure was within reach, Bucky moved his leg in a sweeping motion and knocked their legs out from under them. The figure grunted again and somersaulted backwards over itself to stand back up again. Bucky was up just as quickly and immediately flicked his knife at the assassin. The flying blade narrowly missed the black-clad figure as it ducked behind some sort of generator that provided the building with power.

"Чего ты хочешь со мной?" Bucky asked as he ducked behind another generator. His question was met with silence and he dared a peek from behind his cover. Out of the corner of his eye, movement caught his attention and he was able to just barely duck out of the way of the assassin's blade. Bucky kicked the assassin in the back and it fell to the ground. Without missing a beat, the figure somersaulted to its feet and spun around. Green eyes glared at Bucky with determination.

"Вы только что делает его тяжелее на себя." The assassin spoke up, taking a defensive stance a few feet away from Bucky. It lunged at Bucky and tackled him to the ground. Running on animal instinct, Bucky landed a powerful punch on his attacker's jaw. The assassin grunted and its head jerked roughly to the side. The mask covering the figure's face flew aside. Bucky was able to get the upper hand and roll over on top and pin the figure beneath him. He got a glimpse of the assassin's face and furrowed his brows in confusion.

Taking advantage of Bucky's momentary lapse of defense, the figure kicked Bucky off and hopped to its feet. Bucky got to his feet as quickly as he could and just stared at the person in front of him.

"You're - !" Bucky was abruptly cut off as he found himself staring down the barrel of a gun. He was too shocked to move. The assassin's green eyes were locked onto Bucky. He saw his attacker's finger move to rest on the trigger. He was frozen in shock, unable to wrap his mind around the situation. Before his attacker was able to pull the trigger, it ducked out of the way as Steve's shield came flying into view. The assassin fired off several shots in Steve's direction. Bucky snapped out of his trance and wrapped his arm around the assassin's neck from behind.

"Bucky!" Steve shouted, holding his side. Bucky saw the blood on his hand. It only took the split second for him to lose focus and the figure was able to flip Bucky over and body slam him to the ground. The assailant was up in an instant and made another attempt to fire the gun at Steve.

Out of nowhere, a knife came flying into view and lodged itself in the assassin's arm. The figure grunted loudly and dropped the gun. It clutched its arm to its chest and, without hesitation, pulled the blade out of and threw it back from the direction it came from. Natasha was able to just barely dodge out of the way. At that moment, a billboard light illuminated the rooftop the four were standing on. Steve, leaning against the roof door, widened his eyes and felt his jaw drop as he was finally able to see the assassin's face.

Just as quickly as Steve had made the realization, the assassin disappeared.

"Bucky... Was that - ?"

"Yes." Bucky cut him off as they stared, dumbfounded, at the spot where their attacker had just stood.

"What happened?" Natasha spoke up from behind Steve. She was holding the blood stained knife in her hands.

"It's..." Bucky turned to face the redhead. "It's a female."

* * *

Вы приезжаете со мной. - You are coming with me.

Чего ты хочешь со мной? - What do you want with me?

Вы только что делает его тяжелее на себя. - You are only making it harder on yourself.


	6. Chapter 6

Echo had failed her mission. _Again._ She knew Rumlow would be disappointed with her. Possibly even angry. His method for punishment was physical... Violent. She knew better than to resist or fight back. It was part of the training they beat into her. Quite literally, in fact. Over the months of 'training', she lost count of the broken bones, busted lips, sprains and pints of blood that had been spilled from her body.

"Mission status." Rumlow barked at her. Echo stood eerily still, like she was trained to do. Her eyes staring straight ahead, fixated on one spot of the far wall to avoid eye contact. She looked like a statue, if it weren't for the steady rhythm of her chest moving up and down as she breathed.

"I was unable to acquire the target." Echo replied in a deadpan tone. She wasn't surprised when she felt the familiar sting of his fist connecting with her jaw. Her head jerked to the side and the familiar metallic tang of blood seeped into her mouth. She swallowed most of it down, but a small crimson pearl trailed out of the corner of her lips as she let out a quiet exhale.

"This is the _second_ time you've let him escape." He hissed at her, cupping her chin firmly and forcing her to face him. Her green eyes roamed over his face. His eyes were dark and narrow as he glared at her. She could see the anger that he was trying to hide; trying to quell as he ran his thumb over her lips. The blood from her mouth smeared down to her jawline.

"Sir, I - " Echo began, only to be cut off by a powerful blow to the stomach. The force of it sent her stumbling backwards a few steps and knocked the wind out of her. It was somewhat lessened by the combat gear, but it was still powerful. She remained on her feet, but held her hand against her stomach as she caught her breath.

"What kind of assassin are you if you can't even carry out a simple task?!" Rumlow spat angrily. Echo forced herself to stand straight again, holding her arms at her sides. She was still wheezing and trying to catch her breath. "We need to get him back..." He growled. Echo curled her metal arm into a fist as she felt that strange feeling in her chest again.

* * *

Steve, Natasha, and Bucky left the rooftop in somewhat of a dazed state. The three of them just stared blankly ahead as they headed back into the apartment. Steve and Natasha collapsed onto the couch. Bucky closed the door and leaned against it, slowly sinking down to sit on the floor.

The silence between them seemed to last forever.

"It's...a female..." Bucky repeated quietly. Steve and Natasha looked at him, but neither of them knew what to say. "I don't understand. If they were trying to replace me, why not go for another male?" He wondered.

"Maybe they tried." Natasha suggested. Steve shifted and winced on the couch. "Let me help you." Natasha said as she stood up and headed to the kitchen to grab the first aid kit.

"But who would be able to do something like that?" Steve asked. Natasha came back with the kit and sat down next to Steve. She motioned for him to lift up his shirt. Instead, Steve just took it off and cast it aside. "It's just a graze." He told her.

"Yeah. And I'm a natural blonde." She quipped and rolled her eyes. "Shut up and let me take care of this." Natasha put some liquid on a gauze bandage and dabbed gently at the wound. Steve hissed and jerked away, but Natasha held him steady. "You're gonna need stitches." She mumbled. "Lucky for you, I have a steady hand."

"Well, after SHIELD HQ went down... They never did find Rumlow, did they?" Bucky asked, interrupting Steve before he could protest with Natasha. Steve looked at him curiously.

"You knew Rumlow?" He asked. Natasha cast a sideways glance at Bucky through a few strands of hair before focusing back on Steve's wound. Bucky sighed and nodded. "You didn't think to mention that before?" His voice a little louder than normal. Natasha pressed against his wound, making Steve shift uncomfortably and glare at her.

"Sorry." She shrugged. Though her tone of voice suggested something different.

"Look, Steve. I don't want to get into this now, OK? There's bigger problems to deal with." Bucky replied as he stood up. Steve opened his mouth to reply, but Natasha cut him off.

"Now, Steve..." She said as she started stitching him up. "Before you go arguing with James, need I remind you I'm holding a sharp object and repeatedly poking your skin with it?" The redhead smiled innocently, making the two men chuckle softly.

"Natalia, when you're done I need you to do some more research." Bucky said. She nodded, not wanting to take her eyes off her work. "Maybe we can figure out who she is by looking for missing persons reports."

"That's not a bad idea." Steve agreed. Bucky nodded, but sighed.

"The only problem is, she spoke Russian. So she might not even be from the US..." Natasha looked up and stared at Bucky.

"That...might take a while." She replied.

"I know." Bucky nodded and spoke quietly. "But remember what you found out? The testing began about a month after they lost me. Anything further back than that might not matter." He said.

"I'll see what I can find out, James." Natasha nodded before turning back to finish stitching up Steve.

* * *

Echo stared at Rumlow with emotionless eyes. Her hand hovered over the gun holstered to her leg. His back was turned and they were the only two in the room. An overwhelming urge to grab the gun and shoot washed over her. No one would know...

"Well?" Rumlow's voice cut through Echo's thoughts, causing the assassin to blink several times to regain her focus. She remained silent, unsure as to what Rumlow wanted. He stepped forward and backhanded her roughly. Echo felt drops of blood fly from her lips as her head jerked to the side.

"Sir - " Echo turned to face Rumlow, only to be met by hands clasping around her throat. Rumlow pushed her backwards until she slammed into the closest wall. On reflex, she brought her knee up and connected with his abdomen. Rumlow grunted and stumbled back, a shocked look on his face. Echo whipped her gun out of her holster and pointed it at him.

"What are you gonna do with that?" Rumlow laughed mockingly at her, his question laced with annoyance. The smirk on his lips pushed Echo closer to the edge and she placed her finger on the trigger. "You gonna shoot me? Huh?" He stepped closer to her so the barrel of the gun was pressed against his chest.

"I..." Echo blinked several times as if to clear her mind. Something was trying to crawl its way back into her brain; trying to make her remember. Every time she would try to focus on it, it would disappear into the deepest recesses of her memory. Like trying to grab smoke.

"Still trying to remember, are you?" Rumlow asked in a mocking whisper. The smile never left his lips. He was clearly enjoying her torment. Echo seemed to be staring through Rumlow as she focused on the blurry images that flooded her mind. She was laughing, smiling, as she talked to someone. A man with a blurry face...leaning in to kiss her.

"I...had a life... Before this." She said softly, almost as if she didn't believe it. Rumlow took the opportunity to smack the gun out of her hand. It collided with the concrete and slid across the floor until it came to rest on the other side of the room.

"You were _nothing_ before this." Rumlow hissed, bringing her attention back to him. She opened her mouth to speak, but his hand muffled her words. "I made you into something. I _made_ you." He brought his face closer to hers. His eyes were harsh and full of judgment. Echo pushed him away with her metal hand.

"You need me to get the asset back!" She protested with an overwhelming urge to be..._wanted_. Anger washed over her and she punched Rumlow with her metal fist. She let out a yell as the blow connected and the dark haired man was pushed almost to the other side of the room.

"You're a cheap imitation! You can never replace the real thing!" Rumlow snapped as he rushed across the room, his knee colliding roughly into Echo's chest. The green eyed assassin fell back against the wall again. She knew she shouldn't be fighting him, but there was just something that was building up inside her. She felt like she was going to burst.

"Stop it!" Echo exclaimed as she pushed herself up off the floor. With a quick motion, she grabbed her knife and swiped at Rumlow. He dodged out of the way and countered with a rough punch to her side. Echo grunted and flipped the knife around and tried to stab Rumlow. He caught her wrist in mid-air and twisted it, forcing her to drop the knife. She curled her bionic hand into a fist and took a wild swing at him. Her blind fury made it easy for Rumlow to counter her moves. As her metal arm swung right by him, he attached a small disk to the plates that immediately sent an electrical pulse throughout Echo's limb.

"You're letting your emotions rule you." He stated as her arm hung limply at her side; rendered temporarily useless. "Didn't know you still had any." The blow stung and Echo glared at Rumlow. He twisted her arm, forcing her to turn around with her back to him. The electricity mixed with the pain of Rumlow twisting her arm, and she groaned loudly as he forced her to her knees.

"Let go of me!" Echo hissed as she tried to break free. Rumlow roughly jerked her arm and she heard the unmistakable _POP_ sound that told her he dislocated it. She gritted her teeth hard, refusing to scream or show weakness.

Something happened in that moment. Echo didn't know if it was from all the pain, or something else. But fragments of memories came rushing back to her.

"Come on, Echo! Where's the cold hearted, ruthless assassin?" Rumlow taunted her as he let go of her arm and pushed her to the cold floor. She made no attempt to stop her fall. Her head hit the concrete with a dull thud, but she didn't even flinch. When Rumlow saw her not even making an effort to fight, he nudged her with his boot. "Get up, Echo." He ordered.

Echo panted, still feeling so much pain shooting through her body. Somehow, by some miracle, she was able to push herself up onto her knees with her bionic arm. Her flesh and blood arm dangled at her side, the slightest movement sending waves of agony through her. But she ignored the pain the best she could.

"There she is." Rumlow grinned. "You've got work to do, Echo." The green eyed assassin stared up at him, almost defiantly. She was trying to breathe through the pain, but still managed to speak.

"...Nina..."


End file.
